Im Coming Home
by sweet10129
Summary: When Cas returns home from war, he highly expects Dean to hate him... but when he gets off the plane, no other than Dean Winchester himself is waiting for him.
1. The Arrival

It had been three years since Castiel Novak last saw Dean Winchester. War had been a bitch and the two best friends didn't leave on the best of terms. Castiel had written a note for Dean, confessing his love for him right before he left for Afghanistan the next day. It was a wonder how Cas survived war, each night he wondered what would happen when he got home. He had nobody else to go home to other than Sam and Dean, and Dean most likely didn't want to see him ever again. So Cas had written home to Sam, telling him that he was coming back home Saturday, and all the details such as where the plane was landing and at what airport. He never received a response, but hopefully Sam would be there waiting for him once he landed, or else Cas would just have to walk to Sam's house and tell him off.

War had changed Castiel, he was no longer the quiet weakling he was three years ago. He was no longer afraid to speak up for what he believed in and on top of all, he had closed off his heart, not letting anybody see his true emotions, especially when people asked him if he was going to see anybody special once he was back in Kansas. He had always just laughed and said no, he was only going to see his brother, Sam, and left it at that. Cas thought of Sam, surely he would want to see him, but Cas couldn't help but doubt that. If Dean had shown anybody the note that Cas had written all of his emotions on, they all would think different of him, maybe that was why nobody ever written Cas when he was away.

Cas had gotten on his plane at 4pm that Friday morning, calming his nerves as he thought about what was going to happen once he got home, in the long plane ride ahead of him, Cas had contemplated thirty-two different endings to what would happen when he landed, all of them resulting in Dean punching him in the face for embarrassing him. Cas bit his lip as the plane landed two hours from Lawrence, Kansas, and he stood up to grab his bag from the carry-on bin.

Cas walked off the plane, and took several deep breaths, trying hard to calm his nerves that he never had, even in the middle of war. Cas walked to the baggage claim, not yet seeing Sam, but knew that he would be there, not doubting for a second that he wasn't there. He heard the buzzer go off, alerting the people that the bags were now coming, and he stood by the baggage claim, waiting for his cameo duffel bag.

Cas grabbed his bag, but still saw no sign of Sam. "Maybe he's waiting outside?" He questioned himself and walked outside. The sun was blaring and Cas looked at his clock, it was already two, he had flown for at least 8 hours, but he knew it had been longer. He looked around when suddenly his heart stopped and he dropped his bags in surprise, across the parking lot sat a black '67 Chevy Impala, and leaning against the driver's side door was no other than Dean Winchester himself. Cas swallowed, having half a mind to just turn around and walk away, but somehow he didn't, he just stared. Soon Dean looked up after checking his watch, and he saw Cas. Castiel stood still as Dean walked over to him, smiling at Cas as though nothing had happened the last time they saw each other. Cas stood even more still as Dean wrapped his arms around Cas and gave him a friendly hug.

"Hello Dean," He said, his voice as deep as ever. He was trying to figure out what was going on in Dean's mind, but just like before, he couldn't figure out the man who he loved.

"Cas! You have been gone way too long! I got your bags, come on let's go, everybody is waiting on your return!" Dean said, grinning as he looked at his friend once more. Cas picked up his duffel, but left his other bag for Dean to carry, not wanting to seem rude by not letting him carry a bag. He walked it over to the trunk of the Impala, not saying anything as Dean loaded both of the bags for him. He sat in the passenger seat, closing his eyes as he remembered all the times that Dean had forced him to go on crazy teenaged adventures, that only led to them getting in trouble. Cas put on the seat belt, still thinking of the one time when Dean picked him up at midnight, just to drive him way out-of-town and sing happy birthday to him. He still remembered arguing with Dean about why he had to go out-of-town to sing happy birthday, and Dean only offered him this, "Because that way nobody can hear my awful singing voice." Cas laughed a bit as he replayed that entire night in his head, then hearing the driver's door shut Cas opened his eyes, transported to the real world, where Dean sat right next to him, humming Metallica, as though nothing had changed between the boys in the three years Cas was gone.

"So, how was war?" Dean asked as he started the car, looking at Cas. His best friend had changed a lot in three years, he seemed to hold himself higher, a sign of having confidence. He also looked like he was holding something back, like he was afraid to be himself around Dean.

Cas looked at Dean, who was staring at him, "War was….war, you can not expect war to be good, you just hope for the best." He was being simple, he knew that, but he wasn't about to tell Dean that almost every night his body ached for him. Dean just nodded and started to drive.

"So I'm not supposed to feed you yet, Sam and Bobby want to meet up for dinner once we're back in Lawrence, but if you want food, just tell me to pull over and we can get a burger or something," Dean tried to fix the strange atmosphere that was now created.

Cas bit his lip, if Dean was going to act like nothing happened, then he should too. He let himself smile. "I am rather hungry, I do not care where we stop, as long as you like the food there." Cas looked out the window and at all the buildings that were around them. Dean stopped soon after at a small burger place. Parking the car as he looked at Cas.

"Cas, are you sure you are okay? You seem different, like I don't know… Distant."  
>"Dean, I just got back from war, I'm not trying to be distant, I am just hungry, and tired," Cas was lying, but the small smile that played on Dean's lips let Cas know that Dean believed him. Cas got out of the car before Dean could ask any more questions and walked inside the diner, getting a booth for two people.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Once they were seated Cas looked up at Dean while Dean was busy glancing over the menu. Cas wasn't the only one that changed, and that made Cas bite his lip in desperation, Dean had gotten hotter. His green eyes seemed even more intense than they were before and his strong jawline looked better than ever. Cas closed his eyes and counted to ten, Dean was even more attractive than he ever has been in any of the years that Cas has known him.

Cas knew it wasn't smart to think about Dean in a romantic way, he had just spent three years trying to get over this man afterall. Then those green eyes shot up, and looked at Cas, and instantly Cas looked down at his menu, he didn't even know what he wanted. Well, in a way Cas did know, because he wanted Dean and he wanted Dean to notice him and to love him the same was Cas loved him. Cas shook his head, loved as in -ed, meaning it was in the past, and Cas needs to get over it because Dean wasn't going to look at him that way, and Cas knew it. He just had to admit it to himself.

"The bacon cheeseburgers here are really good," Dean says, studying Cas' face.

"All you ever eat," Cas says, looking up at Dean, he tried to smile a little, he wanted to be normal with Dean, even if the thought of being alone with him made his heart jump. Cas rubbed his face, as if he didn't just spend three years trying to get over this man.

The waitress came over a little while later almost like she could sense the deafening silence that Dean and Cas were sitting in. They both ordered their food and went back to ignoring each other. Something in Cas knew that it was his turn to make the next conversation attempt, but really the only thing he cared to ask about was that stupid letter. He sighed and looked up at Dean, only to find him already looking at Cas.

"So… how have you been," Cas asks clearing his throat. If he could hold a conversation, then perhaps it wouldn't be so awkward.

"Boring really, we all missed you a shit ton. Why didn't you tell anybody you left?"

Cas felt his heart drop, he knew this question would arise sooner or later, he just hoped it would have been later. "I just, I didn't want anybody to try and change my mind. I had some stuff I needed to figure out and I couldn't ask you or Sam for help." Cas wasn't lying, he wasn't telling the entire truth, but he wasn't lying. He would always run from his problems, as soon as it got tough he would look for a way out. He couldn't face Dean right after he got the letter, and so he needed time to get away, something that wouldn't seem like he was avoiding Dean. Joining the army was just a really good excuse and Cas would seem like he was just being a hero.

"Well, you should have told us, do you have any idea what you put m-" Dean cut off and shook his head. "You're back now, and that's all that matters, Sam and Bobby will be happy to see you."

Cas was quiet for a while, was Dean about to refer to himself missing Cas, or was it all in his head. He leaned back in his booth and studied Dean's face, he didn't show any signs of embarrassment, if anything he looked really happy to see Cas even if his body language said something else. He moved almost tensely, like he was afraid of messing up, or Cas would do something. Cas didn't say anything, he was unsure what to do in this event. He never planned for Dean to be the one that was there to pick him up from the airport, to hold a serious conversation with him and act as if nothing happened.

"You'll need a place to stay," Dean says after what feels like forever, he looks up at Cas waiting for an answer.

"I will need a place to sleep, do you think Bobby will mind my staying with him?"

"Bobby has a lot on his plate right now, his auto shop is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Sam only has one bedroom, but he is living with Jess, so you can't just crash on his couch. I think I'm the only person who has a spare room, It isnt big, but it will do the job. You can crash at my place for as long as you need." Dean said all of this with a smile, like he knew the entire time Cas was staying with him.

The waitress finally came with their food and Cas was happy for the distraction. He would have to stay with Dean, but Cas didn't plan to stay long. He would get a job, and move out as soon as possible. He would find something to busy his time with when he wasn't working too, maybe he would take up boxing. He had learned how to box overseas, on slow days when his garrison wasn't under any immediate threat, they would all box, get out any pent up frustrations. Cas loved the sport, and Lawrence had a pretty good boxing club, at least that's what he thinks, but he was three years behind on any current event that happened in his home town.

The boys ate their food, almost silently, a few comments were made on how good the food was, but that was it.

Once their food was done, Cas put some money down on the table, only for Dean to push it back at him. "You're the war veteran, let me pay for you."

Cas shook his head. "Yes, and I haven't paid for my meal in three years, I can get this one, you will get the next one."

Dean sighed and let Cas have this one. He was going to hold him to that, and the next time they went out to eat, he was paying. They both stood up at the same time and looked at each other.

"So, Bobby and Sam know that I have returned?" Cas asks, not sure why he chose now to ask that.

"Oh yeah, you are the only thing anybody has been talking about for the past week, we all know youre back, and probably all of Lawrence." Dean says, grabbing his jacket and walking to the car, Cas followed him.


End file.
